


We Need To Talk

by STARSdidathing



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Romantic Fluff, Tony Feels, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 13:18:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11231811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: No one in a relationship wanted to hear those words. They only ever meant one thing.





	We Need To Talk

**Author's Note:**

> I currently have no editors or people to review my work! :O So I must apologize for any errors as they are all mine. Let me know if you spot any, I'd be much appreciated :)
> 
> Thanks everyone! And I hope you enjoy :)

Tony knew how those conversations went: ‘ _we need to talk_ ’.

Those words only meant one thing. It meant he was about to be told he was too much, too distracted by his inventions, too reckless - just not good enough.

Tony had thought he wouldn’t hear it again. He’d thought, _for half a fucking second_ , that he’d found the one person in the entire universe who wouldn’t turn away from him.

It had been hard at first with Loki; full of the worst kind of insults and every attempt to make the other bleed both emotionally and physically. They could have still been enemies for all that they’d snarled at each other in the first few weeks.

The sex had been... God, it had been brutal and gorgeous - _addictive_. They’d kept coming back for more until somehow, the touches became softer, their nights together turned into long mornings in bed. They laughed more and spent time in the lab or around the penthouse. They talked about magic and science, improving the other’s understanding rather than arguing over which had the most flaws.

Two years. That’s how long it had taken his relationship with Loki to get where it was now. Loki lived in the penthouse with Tony and helped to defend the world. He attended SI functions, looking absolutely stunning and creating enough mischief to make Pepper go prematurely grey. 

He made Tony _laugh_. He made Tony fall in love.

But Loki had told him two days ago; _we need to talk_. Tony had been heading out to see Rhodey when Loki had stopped him. His voice had been quiet, serious, and it had made Tony’s heart drop from his chest to crash onto the floor.

He’d known what it had meant. It had meant that he’d done something, somewhere that had started pushing Loki away, and now he was through with Tony - finished, _done_. 

Tony had left the tower feeling hollow, feeling _lost_ , because no one ever said those words without meaning one relationship-ending thing.

Tony didn’t believe in soulmates or being ‘fated’ but he’d... he’d started to think that maybe Loki really was the only one for him; smart, sexy, funny, _perfect_. No one else had ever compared, ever fit him so well... but of course, it wasn’t going to work. And, of course, if anyone in the equation wasn’t going to be good enough to hold them together, it would be Tony.

He’d known he should man up, go back to the tower, do the right thing and let Loki break up with him, but Tony just... couldn’t. It ached too much to even contemplate.

So he avoided it. He threw himself into SI and Avenger projects; anything that kept him away from Loki. It amounted to sticking his head in the sand, but Tony couldn’t see another option. Hearing Loki tell him he wasn’t enough, _losing_ Loki - Tony couldn’t do it. He didn’t even know how he’d step foot in the penthouse again when Loki left, if he could even sleep in a room and a bed that wasn’t _theirs_ anymore.

It made him feel sick just thinking about it.

It was what had him in another country, sitting in his hotel room in Paris, staring at an expensive bottle of scotch and wavering between putting the bottle away or ending his four hundred and ten days sober. What did it even matter? Half the reason he’d been so determined was because of the mage at his side, badgering him into taking better care of himself.

Surely it would be better to just numb pain? Surely it didn’t matter anymore if Loki wasn’t around to shout at him about whether he lived or died?

Fuck, and he’d _miss_ that. Loki's worried frown, his trembling hands. His desperate kisses as he hissed things like _you utter fool_ and _you might be mortal, but you are **not** allowed to die_. 

Tony rubbed his hands over his face, trying to ignore the ache the memories brought, trying to make a decision about the alcohol - but before he could, Tony felt a sharp burst of energy fill the room. It made the hairs on his neck stand on end and his heart freeze in his chest. He stiffened and stared unseeingly in front of him until a furious snarl made him jerk his head up to look over his shoulder.

Loki was stalking forward and he snatched the bottle of scotch from the table with fury. “What are you _doing_ , Anthony?” He examined it to make sure the seal was still intact, but finding no alcohol missing didn’t abate his anger, he just glared at Tony. “You avoid me, you leave the country and now you’re going to _drink?_ ”

Tony tried to reach for the bottle, more than certain he’d need it if Loki had actually _searched him out_ in order to break up with him. Loki just made another noise of inarticulate rage before using magic to make the bottle disappear.

“Fuck!” Tony cursed, glaring at Loki. “I was going to drink that.”

“No, you _weren’t_ ,” Loki snapped. “I will not let you throw your abstinence away because of a foul mood. Now-”

“A foul _mood?_ ” Tony demanded, pushing to his feet and stepping closer to Loki. He knew it was a mistake, knew that he’d only end up yelling at Loki or trying to pull him into a kiss - but he couldn’t stop himself. “You think it would take _just_ a shitty day to make me go back on my promise to you?”

Tony could still remember Loki’s expression when he’d agreed, not to mention the argument that they’d had prior to it. Loki had been afraid that Tony’s abuse of alcohol would finally catch up with him and Tony had been falling far too hard already. He’d been unwilling to keep drinking when all he saw when he picked up a glass was Loki’s worried, hurt face staring back at him.

 _Yeah, alright_ , he’d told Loki. _I’ll stop. I mean, no sense cutting my life even shorter than it already is, huh?_

Loki had magic-ed the tower free of alcohol and Tony had spent a good month teaching his body to stop going for a drink. There had been some... pretty terrible days in the beginning, but Loki had been there to distract him, keep him company and wrap Tony in his arms.

It had been worth it and he certainly felt healthier too, but faced with the end of his relationship with Loki there were only a few things he had left that could not only comfort him, but detach him from the life he’d built with the other man.

“I don’t care what it is,” Loki snapped at him. “You were to tell me the _moment_ you began to crave alcohol. You were meant-”

“I couldn’t exactly tell you, could I?” Tony interrupted, trying to keep his voice argumentative, but already feeling it waver, especially when Loki looked surprised and derailed by his words. Tony let out a rough breath. “You ‘ _wanted to talk_ ’. It didn’t leave me with a lot of options.”

“I didn’t realise talking with me required you to have a _drink_ ,” Loki answered, less sharply than before, there was sudden calculation in his eyes as well as a loosening of his tension. “Anthony, what did you infer from my wording that caused you to leave?”

Tony eyed him warily, but something they’d both learnt early on in their relationship was that lying and half-truths did not work well for them. It was difficult sometimes to make them both be honest - was like pulling teeth, actually - especially when it came to sharing what they were feeling, but they’d both made the effort and it had strengthened their relationship while minimising their fights.

A lot of their issues had always been misunderstandings about what the other had meant. It hadn’t happened for over a year though, Tony hadn’t thought it could be the same this time, but he began to feel hope unfurl in his chest.

He swallowed, chewing his bottom lip a little nervously before admitting, “‘ _We need to talk_ ’ is code for ‘ _I’m about to break up with you_ ’.”

Loki’s eyes went wide and before Tony could react, Loki was in his personal space and drawing him close. Tony’s arms came up to wrap around Loki instantly. He pressed his face against the comforting feel of Loki’s chest, breathing in the scent that was as familiar to him as motor oil or fried circuit boards and just as comforting. 

“You fool,” Loki told him gently. “That was _not_ my intention.”

The next breath Tony let out was slightly shaky but took with it so much of his fear. He clung a little tighter to Loki while whispering, “Fuck. That’s good.”

“It is.” Loki let out a brief, almost nervous chuckle. “And your reaction to an end of our relationship makes me rather hopeful for what I _did_ wish to discuss with you.”

Tony’s eyebrows drew together in confusion and he pulled back to eye Loki quizzically. “Yeah, what was that?”

“Your mortality,” Loki admitted. “Or rather, my wish to alter it.”

Tony only felt more confused. “You want to alter my mortality?”

“I want to make you live longer.” Tony’s eyes widened while Loki licked his lips nervously, his eyes not quite holding Tony’s. “I asked to speak with you because I wanted to broach the idea of an Aesir length of life.” Loki’s eyes flickered to his, uncertain and hopeful. “I wished to see if you would like to spend it with me.”

“Are you...” Tony swallowed thickly, feeling completely shocked. “Are you asking me to _marry_ you?”

Loki’s smile was small and hesitant, almost shy as he admitted, “Well, I had planned to make a much grander ceremony of it.” He chuckled a little, but it only came out tense and unsure. “I wanted to bring you to Asgard and ask you in Idunn’s gardens as the stars bathed us in soft light.” His gaze fell away. “I thought you might like that.”

Tony could only stare at him in shock.

A proposal.

Loki had just _proposed to him_.

It made him feel breathless; it made him feel like _laughing_. He’d been terrified that Loki was about to break up with him, but no, instead Loki had wanted to make him immortal. He wanted to _marry_ him.

He’d never thought he’d get married, never once thought it was something either of them wanted, but there was Loki with his worried frown as his teeth caught his bottom lip and he held his breath.

Was he really in love enough to become immortal for this man? To marry him?

But Tony had barely finished asking the questions when his gut, his mind, his _heart_ all answered him with a single thing: _yes_.

It was followed by so much _warmth_ flooding his chest. It was like the first time Loki had whispered _I love you_ to him. Tony had wanted to burst with happiness then and he wanted to do the same thing now. He found himself grinning, slow and wide before he gave a sharp, jerky nod. 

He’d only intended to do it once, but somehow he just kept nodding, a furious, continual consent that had Loki grinning wide enough his dimples showed.

Reaching up for Loki’s neck, Tony only stopped nodding when he tugged Loki down and into a kiss. Loki hands came to grip his hips in an instant and he drew Tony completely against him. Tony just shifted his hold so he could bring both arms up to wrap around Loki’s neck, burying his fingers in his lover’s hair.

It felt like they kissed forever, neither of them wanting to stop. But when they eventually did pull back Loki’s eyes were so bright they practically glowed and his smile was just as blinding. 

“You will come with me to Asgard?” He still confirmed, cupping Tony’s cheeks and holding his gaze. “You will accept the apple and bind our lives together?”

Tony let out a breathless laugh and shifted his hands so he could cup Loki’s cheeks in return. “Will I marry you and live a long life at your side? Yes. _Hell yes_ , in fact. God, Loki, I don’t ever want to let you go.”

“You will _never have to_ ,” Loki promised, with possessive pleasure before kissing Tony again. “ _My Anthony_ ,” Loki hissed when he pulled back, looking at him like he’d never been happier. “My _lifebonded_.”

Tony shivered with pleasure at the words, at the implications. “Yours forever.”

_Your husband to be. Your husband **forever**._

Loki’s next kiss was almost branding and Tony didn’t fight it, didn’t _want_ to fight it. He kissed Loki back with just as much passion and love.

He felt like his whole body was buzzing, like he was on top of the world and not a fucking thing could bring him down or make this moment any better.

Loki wasn’t leaving him. Loki was making their relationship _permanent_ and promising that he’d never get tired of Tony. That he was _good enough_ to pick for the rest of Loki’s life.

“I love you,” Tony broke the kiss to gasp. “Fuck. I love you so much Loki.”

Loki grinned. “And I love you.” He kissed him again. “More than I ever imagined I could love another.” He stroked Tony’s cheeks. “You truly are the more precious thing I could ever have found.”

Tony felt his cheeks heating up and his insides squirming. 

“Keep saying things like that,” he told him, unable to fight his grin, “and you’ll never get rid of me.”

Loki just smiled with such smug satisfaction, such utter happiness, that it made Tony’s heart stumble over its next beat. 

“Yes,” Loki told him, “that was the idea.”

Tony barely managed to laugh before Loki was kissing him again, tugging Tony back into the circle of his arms and refusing to let him go.

**Author's Note:**

> So have some flufftastic proposal fic, because, why the hell not? XD
> 
> Gosh, I love penning some senseless FrostIron fluff ♥
> 
> Not that I intended this (and had half started this oneshot before the _gorgeous_ art for my other story was posted) but this could also be considered a loose prequel to my other story [Eternity](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6444688) :)


End file.
